US Palm Ankle Cargo Cuff
When carrying a firearm every day, how many extra magazines should you have as part of your EDC kit? This article will not answer that question for you, as it is a question that only you should answer and should be dictated by your profession or your environment. Since I carry a 1911, I personally chose to have two extra magazines with me, but where and how to carry them becomes a challenge. You might have read in other posts about low-visibility pants, the pockets and the placements are important to solving this dilemma.
However, what do you do if you wear the regular five pocket pant? The solutions are limited to choices like; the belt hung carry; front and/or back pocket carries, which is ineffective as those pockets are usually crammed with phones, wallets, keys, or attempting figuring out some other way. If you are looking for low-visibility carry options, then belt hung will not work due to their overt observational nature, and your clothing assortment will need to be more selective. If you are strictly inside-the-waistband (IWB) you most likely need to wear pants that are two sizes too big, since everything is stuffed with firearms and magazines, also a dead-give-away for thin or skinny people, since your midsection looks a bit out of proportion or perfectly square. If you have tried the “belly-band” approach to carry extra magazines, you immediately realize that you cannot get to them quickly, making them practically unusable.
The US Palm ankle cargo cuff solves the low-visibility, auxiliary pockets, and readily accessible problem. I have been wearing mine now for a few weeks, and have rucked, exercised, and wore it through unusual scenarios that many readers would scratch their heads at, all in the interest of determining the utility of carrying extra magazines. Made of HD elastic webbing, the Ankle Cargo Cuff has five main storage cells and a sixth compact slip-pocket; perfect for the Ka-Bar TDI LDK (last-ditch knife).
The wearer will need to get used to the weight of objects in the cuff; like carrying two .45 ACP magazines, and the cuff can feel like it gets stuck between the calf and boot, especially if you have large muscular legs, but once you get used to it, and you find the proper tension; it makes a great extension of your load out. An additional field of loop material is stitched to the interior surface to create comfortable friction to keep the cuff in position that doesn’t rub or feel weird when you are perspiring or soaked.
The only updates that I would recommend, is to cut the cuff with a more anatomical design, a layer of neoprene or leather to mold tighter to the leg’s natural curvature and reduce slippage when sweaty or wet. I am planning on getting their IFAK solution for the other ankle, since I like the idea of having my IFAK at EDC level 1 (body) and will balance out the weight.